# Changed Star Billing on a movie **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 25, 2009, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changed-star-billing-on-a-movie/490679 "2009-03-25T01:04:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![GreedySmurf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a698b9/32.png) [@GreedySmurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreedySmurf)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changed-star-billing-on-a-movie/490679/1 "2009-03-25T01:04:42Z")
Noticed something the other day with an ad for the movie _Twister_, which was going to be played on a TV1 - a cable channel. I can’t guarantee 100%, but my memory suggests that at the time of release _Twister_ was billed as starring Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt. This recent ad, had the voice over man saying watch _Twister_ featuring Philip Seymour Hoffman and Helen Hunt. Poor old Bill is missing the love now. Suddenly because Hoffman’s career has rocketed and despite only being part of the supporting cast he’s now getting top billing? 😛 Found it very interesting. And in this case a little misleading. If someone had never seen Twister and thought I’ll check this out if Hoffman is the star would be a bit dissapointed. Wondering if anyone else has run across anything similiar? ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changed-star-billing-on-a-movie/490679/2 "2009-03-25T01:11:52Z")
A slight hijack just to point out that the offical American rating descriptor for _Twister_ is possibly the funniest of all time- “Rated PG-13 for intense depictions of very bad weather.” ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changed-star-billing-on-a-movie/490679/3 "2009-03-25T01:51:00Z")
Some years ago, a local TV channel that played movies most nights was airing a promo for _Ferris Bueller’s Day Off_. The voiceover was something like, “Charlie Sheen teaches some uptight teens to relax in … _Ferris Bueller’s Day Off_.” Uh, Charlie Sheen? He was in one scene. That scene was hilarious, but still. You gave him top billing in your promo? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changed-star-billing-on-a-movie/490679/4 "2009-03-25T02:15:43Z")
My favorite examples is something different in the terrible SF film **Unknown World** (similar premise as **The Core,** but with even worse science). Victor Kilian played the leader of the expedition. After the film was in the can, Kilian was blacklisted, so the film was released with no mention of him in the credits. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changed-star-billing-on-a-movie/490679/5 "2009-03-25T10:20:06Z")
> [@GreedySmurf](#): > > Noticed something the other day with an ad for the movie _Twister_, which was going to be played on a TV1 - a cable channel. > > I can’t guarantee 100%, but my memory suggests that at the time of release _Twister_ was billed as starring Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt. > > This recent ad, had the voice over man saying watch _Twister_ featuring Philip Seymour Hoffman and Helen Hunt. Poor old Bill is missing the love now. > > Suddenly because Hoffman’s career has rocketed and despite only being part of the supporting cast he’s now getting top billing? 😛 > > Found it very interesting. And in this case a little misleading. If someone had never seen Twister and thought I’ll check this out if Hoffman is the star would be a bit dissapointed. > > Wondering if anyone else has run across anything similiar? PSH _is_ the star of Twister. The best part of the movie is his hammy delivery of his horrible lines. _He’s gonna rue the day he came up against The Extreme, baby. Bill, I’m talkin’ imminent rueage._ Perfect. ---
**Author:** ![Jettboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/85e7bf/32.png) [@Jettboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jettboy)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changed-star-billing-on-a-movie/490679/6 "2009-03-25T13:16:58Z")
How about Terry Gilliam’s _Brazil_? I often hear it mentioned as “starring” Robert DeNiro, even though he’s only on screen about 5 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changed-star-billing-on-a-movie/490679/7 "2009-03-25T13:40:06Z")
I saw the very box [described here](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083731/usercomments) at the video store. Bad art. That alone kept me from being sucked into the rental. ---
**Author:** ![whorfin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/6f9a4e/32.png) [@whorfin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whorfin)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changed-star-billing-on-a-movie/490679/8 "2009-03-25T14:37:06Z")
Apocalypse now. When the “redux” edition was put out, Harrison ford was not just added to the listed credits (he wasn’t on the original poster), but he was given a prominent position (for about 1:30 of screen time, early in his career). I think Lawrence Fishburne (who was about 14 when it was filmed) was on the original poster, but he’s more prominent on the Redux poster. > **[Apocalypse Now (1979)](https://www.imdb.com/media/rm3913128192/tt0078788)** > > Robert Duvall, Martin Sheen, Sam Bottoms, Jerry Ross, and Kerry Rossall in Apocalypse Now (1979) ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changed-star-billing-on-a-movie/490679/9 "2009-03-25T14:50:20Z")
It’s called marketing, folks. You promote something’s hotness and recognition value even if the consumer will feel ripped off afterwards. Because by then, you have their money. ---
**Author:** ![maniondl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cdc98d/32.png) [@maniondl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maniondl)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changed-star-billing-on-a-movie/490679/10 "2009-03-25T15:30:28Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > PSH _is_ the star of Twister. The best part of the movie is his hammy delivery of his horrible lines. > > _He’s gonna rue the day he came up against The Extreme, baby. Bill, I’m talkin’ imminent rueage._ > > Perfect. That one’s good, but my friends and I will still greet each other with “… and a manly handshake ensues!” ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changed-star-billing-on-a-movie/490679/11 "2009-03-25T17:43:32Z")
I remember Mad Magazine spoofing this as (paraphrased from memory) playing up Ed Asner’s role in advertising an old movie soon to play on TV, though the film actually starred Kay Francis and William Gargan “but you probably never heard of them, so we’re going to play up Asner, even though he only has a bit part in one scene.” Of course, these days, Asner himself is slipping from the collective consciousness. The last thing I recall him doing was providing the voice of Granny Goodness for an animated _Justice League_ episode, which I personally thought was an impressive and inspired bit of casting. For a real-life example, I remember the TV broadcast of _Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure_ where every commercial break mentioned that the movie starred James Brolin and Morgan Fairchild, though they only appear in the final minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changed-star-billing-on-a-movie/490679/12 "2009-03-25T17:46:18Z")
**Heathers** - Admittedly, Shannon Doherty does have a large, important role in the film, but when the film came out in theaters (pre-“Beverly Hills 90210”) only Wynona Ryder & Christian Slater got a star billing. A few years later (post 90210), in TV reruns, Doherty’s name went to the top of the marquee. Similarly, reruns of the original **Friday the 13th** mentioned that it ‘stars’ Kevin Bacon - even though he’s one of the first to get offed. ---
**Author:** ![Uosdwis\_R.Dewoh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Uosdwis\_R.Dewoh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uosdwis_R.Dewoh)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changed-star-billing-on-a-movie/490679/13 "2009-03-25T18:26:59Z")
The posters from the film Rounders show this phenomenon perfectly. 1st [poster](http://www.imdb.com/media/rm2794359296/tt0128442): Look, it’s a movie starring Matt Damon, Edward Norton and Gretchen Moll. 2nd [poster](http://www.imdb.com/media/rm1668914176/tt0128442): Hey look, it’s a movie starring Matt Damon and Edward Norton. Also, Gretchen Moll is in it too. 3rd [poster](http://www.imdb.com/media/rm730635520/tt0128442): Check it out, it’s a movie starring Matt Damon and Edward Norton. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changed-star-billing-on-a-movie/490679/14 "2009-03-25T19:15:01Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > For a real-life example, I remember the TV broadcast of _Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure_ where every commercial break mentioned that the movie starred James Brolin and Morgan Fairchild, though they only appear in the final minutes. What’s even worse is that they were supposed to be surprise cameo gag appearances. What a way to spoil things. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2012, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changed-star-billing-on-a-movie/490679/15 "2012-04-28T00:39:01Z")
I like it when they retrospectively promote some of the then better known cast members to star billing, but I was baffled last week when TV here showed _Stanley & Iris_ giving top billing to Martha Plimpton and Jamey Sheridan. If you had held a gun to my head I would have only been able to recall De Niro and Fonda from this. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2012, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changed-star-billing-on-a-movie/490679/16 "2012-04-28T00:54:03Z")
A Few Good Men is an interesting example, because it is **always** on. A few years ago, Noah Wylie of ER got prominent billing in the TV commercials despite being in two scenes (although admittedly he’s pretty good in them). No longer. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2012, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changed-star-billing-on-a-movie/490679/17 "2012-04-28T01:47:12Z")
Way back when, there was a terrible movie called [Wild in the Streets](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wild_in_the_Streets) about teenagers taking over the government. Here’s the original billing order: Shelley Winters … Mrs. Daphne Flatow Christopher Jones … Max Jacob ‘Frost’ Flatow Jr. Diane Varsi … Sally LeRoy Hal Holbrook … Sen. Johnny Fergus Millie Perkins … Mary Fergus Richard Pryor … Stanley X Years later, when videos were invented, Pryor’s name and face were front and center, even though he was on-screen for maybe 20 seconds. In fairness, though, who among us would even have given it a second look if Diane Varsi had been featured on the box? ---
**Author:** ![medstar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f07891/32.png) [@medstar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/medstar)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2012, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changed-star-billing-on-a-movie/490679/18 "2012-04-28T19:49:53Z")
I’ve got one. A few years back, there was a remake of Walking Tall, starring Dwayne Johnson and Johnny Knoxville, of Jackass fame. I’ve seen ads for the movie on TV, starring Dwayne Johnson and Neal McDonough. I guess Johnny Knoxville is out and Neal McDonough is in favor, due to his new rold on Justified? ---
**Author:** ![randwill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@randwill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randwill)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2012, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changed-star-billing-on-a-movie/490679/19 "2012-04-28T20:03:28Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > ing from the collective consciousness. The last thing I recall him doing was providing the voice of Granny Goodness for an animated _Justice League_ episode, which I personally thought was an impressive and inspired bit of casting. He’s quite prominent as the the old man in **Up**. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2012, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changed-star-billing-on-a-movie/490679/20 "2012-04-29T00:39:41Z")
There was a rock documentary called “Superhsow” filmed in 1969 that had a bunch of people on it. Given a limited release at the time, it appeared on VHS in the mid 1980s when Led Zeppelin was dominating the AOR airwaves. led Zeppelin, who have one song on the 80 minute concert, got prominent billing and their picture on the cover. Looking at Amazon, it is listed as unavailable and has pictures of Jack Bruce, Eric Clapton and Buddy Guyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supershow. Farrah Fawcett had a major contract dispute with ABC and didn’t appear on a lot of "Charlie’s Angels: much that year. One network (NBC?) was promoting the network appearance of the “Logan’s Run” movie from 1976 where Farrah was listed as 5th in the credits. But to hear the promos for “making a rare television appearance this year”, you’d have thought it was a Fawcett vehicle. I wonder how many times Warner Brothers/movie theatres tried to remove Paul Henreid’s name from the “starring” if he hadn’t threaten to sue for breach of contract. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changed-star-billing-on-a-movie/490679.md?page=2)